Water closets, also called toilets, are waste disposal devices commonly installed in most bathrooms. These kinds of plumbing appliances generally include a water-storing receptacle called a water tank that is attached to a siphon seat-shaped bowl called a toilet bowl. Periodically, waste is removed from the toilet bowl by flushing, thereby allowing water to drain from the water tank through the toilet bowl and into a waste drainpipe. In order to work, however, the toilet must be connected to the waste drainpipe by fluid carrying conduits. Typically, the toilet bowl will sit flat on a finished flooring surface and will interface with a toilet flange that is connected to the waste drainpipe.
However, there are many variables associated with the toilet installation process that may or may not lead to a proper seal between the toilet and the toilet flange. The toilet flange may interconnect with the waste drainpipe by either fitting inside or outside the waste drainpipe, and the toilet flange may have a variety of diameters, such as a diameter of 3 inches or 4 inches. Thus, there are four, or more, different types of toilet flanges that may be used, each of which requires its own installation considerations.
In addition to the four different types of toilet flanges, there are additional installation variables related to height differences between the surface of the toilet flange and the finished flooring surface. The toilet flange may rest on top of the finished flooring surface, may be flush with the finished flooring surface, or may sit below the finished flooring surface. Each toilet bowl may also have a different toilet lip height that may require different installation techniques to create a desirable seal between the toilet and the toilet flange.
As a result, because of the different heights of toilet flanges, floor levels, and toilet lips, wax seals and/or modification of the waste drainpipes are typically needed to create a desirable seal between the toilet and the toilet flange. The wax seals are typically a uniform thickness and proper sealing often requires multiple wax seals in order to create a seal between the toilet and the toilet flange. However, the wax seals do not provide sufficient feedback to an installer during installation and once the toilet is placed over the toilet flange, the installer cannot see if a proper seal has been formed and is forced to rely only on tactile feel to determine if there is a proper seal. Without compression of the wax seals, it can be difficult to determine if a proper seal has been created. These wax seals are also not reliable because the seal connection is not strong enough to prevent leakage and associated odors, and oftentimes they can be expensive and inefficient due to delays in the installation process. Further, once the wax seals are set, they may not be able to be reset in a new position.
Therefore, an improved sealing system for addressing the above-described problems are desired. Related methods for installing a seal between the toilet and the toilet flange are also desired.